ANCIENT AND MODERN, WITH NOTES. BIBI BY MRS. SLATER, AUTHORESS OF SENTENTIÆ CHRONOLOGICE,' CA ADVERTISEMENT. THE present systems of School Geography give too much work to the memory and too little to the eye. The Map is the very soul of a Geography lesson, for we are all aware that images of place impress themselves upon the mind more indelibly than any others. This book, therefore, is intended as a companion to the Map, and contains all that my pupils have ever been called upon to learn by rote; the general information which should always accompany a lesson in Geography, having been imparted to them by way of conversation. A certain portion was studied with the map, the lists of towns, &c. learned by heart, and when the lesson was repeated to me, I added such remarks as occurred to me, as to the situation, climate, and government of the countries in question, the commercial advantages of the cities, the course of rivers, and height of mountains, calling their attention particularly to points of historical interest. This plan, I would strongly recommend to all teachers into whose hands this work may fall; it requires only common cultivation to give such a lesson, and those teachers who are aware how few ideas are conveyed to children by lessons merely learned by rote, will be glad to see a work on Geography, stripped of all words, but such as must necessarily be learned by heart and studied in the maps. A few notes have been added, but they are intended rather for the teacher than the pupil; they will be perfectly useless to young persons who have not a previous knowledge of history, and it is hoped that such will never be required to learn them by heart. The general Geography of the four continents, contained in the first 40 pages, should be learned again and again, and the remarks upon it repeated, till they iv are well settled in the memory. Even when the pupil goes on to the British Empire, or begins the Classical Geography, it would still be desirable to recur continually to these first important lessons; the interest may always be kept up, by the introduction of fresh information, and new historical anecdotes. After the first 67 pages, it is not necessary to take up the various countries in the order observed in the book; on the contrary, it would be desirable that circumstances should be the guide in this matter: while the pupils are reading the Grecian history, they would do well to study the Geography of Ancient Greece,if the affairs of France or Germany were the subject of conversation, it would be a good opportunity to make them learn the Geography of those countries. No previous study in the pupils is necessary, in following the abridgments of a few Voyages and Travels which will be found at the end of the book; it is intended that the teacher should read, while the pupils keep the eye upon the map or globe; a half hour devoted to reading and tracing one of them, I have always made the reward of a well-learned Geography lesson. For those Voyages which extend over a great part of the world, a globe is quite requisite, and every child should be furnished with one of those small ones, which are now to be bought at a trifling expense; a true idea of the relative size and situation of the various parts of the Globe, is never attained by children from maps alone. Every library contains Voyages and Travels, by which the few I have given may be succeeded; the judicious teacher studying them beforehand, and marking with a pencil such passages as it may not be desirable to read. The Journal of an Excursion to Fiume, will, I know, have a particular interest with my Pupils; and as it was written expressly for young persons, I hope it may be found generally useful, LESSONS IN GEOGRAPHY. INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS. (This lesson should be given upon the Globe.) WHAT are the two points called, upon which the Globe is supposed to turn? What is that line, midway between the Poles, which divides the Globe into two equal parts? Is there more Land, or more Water, upon the Globe? Is there more Land in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere? Name the four Continents, and point them out. Which of the Continents are united with each other? Which is the smallest Continent? Which is the largest Continent? Is Europe in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere? In which is Asia? In which is Africa? In which is America? Name the four great Oceans. Where is the Indian Ocean? |